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Friday, November 22, 2013

The phone rang. Melinda answered it with the same encouraging
voice she always tired to use. When she realized the caller was a telemarketer,
her heart began to get a little impatient. Melinda kept answering all the lady’s
questions with “No, I don’t think so.” and hoping she would be finished soon. When Melinda happened to mention Jesus during an answer, suddenly the atmosphere of the call
totally changed.

Tina (as I will call her) began telling Melinda about a
recent experience she had had. Tina’s doctor wanted to do a breast biopsy but
Tina was afraid. Finally, Tina gave in and went to have the procedure done.

As the procedure got underway, the doctor and nurse both suddenly
exclaimed with unbelief, “There is no bleeding! There is nothing
there. I don’t understand.”

Then, Tina saw a man entered the room. He had on a long
white robe and shoulder-length hair. She didn’t recognize him and wondered why
he was there so she questioned the doctor.

“Who is that man standing there?” Tina questioned.

The doctor looked up and gave Tina a funny expression as he replied, “There is nobody standing here.”

The man spoke, “You have been made whole.” Afterwards he left the
room. Tina still did not recognize the man.

After the procedure, Tina searched the hallway but the man
was nowhere to be found. However, when Tina arrived home, she discovered the man’s identity. The man’s picture was
hanging on her wall. The picture was of Jesus.

For two weeks after the biopsy, the doctor’s nurse called
Tina to see if she was having any problems at all. Tina kept reassuring the
nurse each time that she was fine. The doctor asked if she would come back and
get an x-ray to make sure everything was ok? She wasn’t sure so she said she
would let them know when she decided.

Melinda responded to Tina’s miraculous story by encouraging
her to continue to believe that Jesus had healed her and not allow the enemy to
steal it from her. She no longing had the breast problem. Tina was healed and made whole!

Tina confided in Melinda that she was a Christian, but she
had not had a lot of supernatural experiences. She was wondering why this
experience had happened to her. She wasn’t expecting anything. Melinda reassured
her again that she didn’t have to know a lot about the supernatural to receive
something supernatural. God healed her because he wanted to show her His love,
His tenderness, His mercy and His grace. It was His gracious gift in her in a time
of need.

Melinda continued further by telling Tina that the miracle was not
only a witness to her of His nearness during the bad times she was experiencing
with her family but it was also a testimony she could proclaim to
others. With that thought, Tina got real excited about all the possibilities
ahead.

When Melinda and Tina finished their conversation, Tina
said, “I feel so full and I am just so thankful. I know now, this was a divine
encounter.”

I don’t know about you but I would have never thought a
telemarketer’s phone call could become a divine encounter. However, all things
are possible with God so we need to be willing to meet the need God places
before for us through the power of the Spirit. God’s divine appointments can
come anywhere, anytime, and with anything. Keep yourself ready and willing!

Friday, November 15, 2013

·One of our church elders, William, has been sent
to the hospital. Pray for healing and we will get back to you, as more news is
available.

·William is in intensive care and in critical
condition. The doctors do not know what the problem is. Please continue to pray
for healing, comfort for the family, and wisdom for the doctors to figure out
the cause. God is still in control.

·WOW! After 4 days of facing life and death in
the ICU, William is now at home doing great. The doctors were able to identify
the problem and get him the proper treatment. The family wants to thank
everyone for their prayers during this critical time. May God be praised for
the victory!

William got out of the hospital on a Tuesday and the next
Sunday, he came before the congregation. He wanted to testify how God had saved
him from death, to publicly praise Jesus for his healing power, and to thank
everyone for their prayers. It was amazing to see how someone just days before
on the brink of death could now display such vigor and life. He is now a
walking testimony of what God can do through His praying people.

While I was listening to William give his testimony, the
Lord gave me a vision of an IV machine. I knew the bottle hanging on a hook
above contained the fluids the doctors had ordered. But then, a second bottle
appeared beside the first. I thought the bottles were the same until the second
bottle turned around. I saw that the word PRAYERS went down the front. As I watched,
I saw the fluid levels of the prayer bottle fluctuate but never diminish. Then
the Lord spoke to my heart,

“It was the prayers of My people on William’s behalf that kept
the second bottle sufficiently full of My healing power. It was the second
bottle that made the difference in his recovery.”

Then the Lord reminded me of a verse in the Bible.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man

availeth much.

James 5:16

Why do effectual fervent prayers for others succeed?

Our continual earnest prayers will be successful in the
outside world because of the spiritual work God is accomplishing on the inside
of our hearts. He is stretching and broadening our abilities to believe no
matter what the circumstances look like. As we speak forth our petitions and trust
in His word, we will see His power remaining strong and accomplishing what the
Word was sent out to do. In the end, our fervent prayers will keep the
spiritual IV full of healing power until health is restored.

Are you praying for the health of someone you know? If so,
consider the second IV bottle. Even if the fruits of those prayers have not
manifested yet, know that God is still at work. Know your continual prayers of
faith are powerful and God’s Word does not come back void.

Friday, November 8, 2013

The first prayer
was for some ‘inexpensive k-cups’ for my Keurig coffee maker. It is one of the
few items I splurge on. As I talked to the Lord it, I offered to put it away,
if he thought it to costly. That was all I said before I left the kitchen to
work.

The second prayer
was for a sewing machine cabinet. I had gotten a used machine online and wanted
a cabinet instead of my kitchen table. I sent up a heart desire to help me find
one as I continued putting my quilt together.

The third prayer
formed as I looked in my closest at my winter clothes. Everything seemed to be
black, brown or navy. Lord, I don’t need
any clothes, but if you could help me find some that are bright and cheery, I
would appreciate it. And Lord, if they could be of good quality that would be
great too. I closed the closet doors and didn’t give it another thought.

A couple of weekends after the last prayer request was made,
I got a call from a friend who needed me to help her.

“And by the way,” she said, “I have a large box of Keurig
cups that we are going to throw away. Do you want them? You are the only one I
know that has one of those machines.”

“YESSSSSSSS! I can be up there by tomorrow evening.” I
replied with shock and joy.

When I arrived at her home, my friend showed me the size of
the box and my eyes got as large as saucers. There must have been 250-300
k-cups in a variety of flavors. We both were going to be blessed that weekend.

The next day we had time to visit a local thrift shop. I
didn’t see anything I wanted until I got to the back part of the store. It was
there I realized the Lord wanted to answer another prayer. I found one bright
and cherry shirt after another. They fit me perfectly and were from companies
known for their quality clothing.

Then, as I came out of the dressing room and headed towards the
checkout counter, my eye caught on a small cabinet. As I lifted the top, I discovered
it was a Kenmore sewing machine cabinet. It was a perfect match!

“How much is this cabinet?” I asked still looking it over.

“How about ten dollars?” the clerk replied.

“Perfect! I'll take it!” I said with excitement and joy.

It was then that I was reminded that all three of my latest
prayers had been answered. I came out of the store with several new shirts, two
wool jackets and the sewing machine table for $80. If you add in the k-cups as
well, I hit the jackpot.

Some may say that “I”
did a great job that weekend but I know better. For me, believing God for
everything is ‘a way of thinking’ I choose to develop. If I learn to trust Him
in the little things, then trusting Him for the bigger things becomes much
easier. I want to experience God ordering my steps regularly and showing me
where to find His hidden answers continually.

We all need to be encouraged with stories of how God is
giving others a helping hand. Do you have a recent story you could relay to
someone God may want to bring across your path? If not, use this opportunity to
trust God for something and then watch how He seizes the chance to show you His
love and direction in a new way.

*******************************

Today, as I was planning to write this piece, I had another
prayer answered. I found my lost car keys. I had been using my only spare set
for over three months because a new one was a hundred and fifty dollars. I truly
wanted God to show me where they were instead of resigning to getting a new
set. I found them while putting away a clean shirt in a basket of clothes under
my bed. The funny thing is, I had searched that basket before twice and saw
nothing. It is funny how God’s timing of the find is always perfect.

About Me

Mary Jane Downs is an author, speaker and teacher who lives in the foothills of the Asheville Mountains. She loves long walks with her camera in hand, reading, hand quilting, and cooking for friends. Mary Jane has been published in Awe Magazine, Inspiredmoms.com, as well as a guest blogger. Mary Jane has found her writing and love of quilting to work well together. Quilting gives her time to think and gain insight for story ideas and writing helps her to express those ideas and thoughts to others.